Papers of John Adams, volume 18

To John Adams from John Jay, 6 June 1786 Jay, John Adams, John
From John Jay
Dr. Sir New York 6th: June 1786 1

My last to You was dated 4th: Ult:, since which I have been honored with several from you vizt. two dated 24th. November last2—9. 16. 17. 20. 22. 26 & 27th. February and 4th. March last3—all of which with their several Enclosures were immediately laid before Congress.—

I have at length the Pleasure of informing you that nine States begin to be frequent in Congress, and consequently that there is a Prospect of my being soon enabled to send you some Dispatches of more Importance than many of my late ones have been.—

It will not be long before a good private Opportunity will offer, and then I mean to write you at least a long private Letter if not a public one.—4

You will find herewith enclosed a Ratification of the Prussian Treaty, which for many Months was delayed for want of a proper Number of States in Congress to order and compleat it.—

There are several of my Reports on your Letters before Congress and I assure you these Delays are as painful to me as they can be to you.—

Our Country has yet much to think of, and much to decide on—a natural but improper Rage for paper Money prevails. Rhode-Island, New York and New Jersey are making Experiments upon it, and I think injuring themselves and the Union in some Measure by it. The next London Ship shall carry you some Journals, and Acts of Assembly which by the Packet would cost more Postage than they are worth.—

{I doubt the propriety of borrowing more money without funds or prospect to repay any— our treasury is low—the States backward— our people intent on private gain & too inattentive to national Concerns & exigencies—}5

With great and sincere Esteem and Regard I have the Honor to be, Dr. Sir / Your most obt. & hũble: Servt.

John Jay—

RC with decoded text in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Hoñble John Adams Esqr.— / Minister Plenipoy: of the Ud. States / at the Court of Great Britain”; endorsed: “Mr Jay June 6. / ansd. July 30 / 1786.”

1.

Jay’s next letter to JA was of 15 June (Adams Papers), wherein he asked JA to forward George Washington’s 10 Jan. letter to the English historian Catharine 335 Sawbridge Macaulay Graham. There Washington thanked Graham for her 13 July 1785 letter from New York, expressed appreciation for her approval of his conduct during the war, and hoped that she had returned home safely. It is not known when JA delivered the letter, but Graham replied on 10 Oct. 1786 (Washington, Papers, Confederation Series , 3:115–117, 502–503; 4:55–56, 132, 289–290).

2.

Vol. 17:598–603.

3.

Except for those of 9 and 17 Feb. and 4 March, all of these letters are above. For the 9 Feb. letter, see JA’s 8 Feb. letter to David Humphreys, and note 1, above. For the letters of 17 Feb. and 4 March, see Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789 , 2:567–568, 580–581.

4.

Not found. In his 7 July letter (Adams Papers), Jay indicated that he had missed his opportunity and would have to wait for “some other safe Conveyance.”

5.

This passage was encoded using the Adams-Jay code, for which see JA’s first 3 Dec. 1785 letter to Jay, note 1, above. WSS wrote the decoded text immediately below the signature.

Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners, 10 June 1786 Barclay, Thomas American Commissioners
Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners
Gentlemen Mogadore 10th. June 1786 1

I arrived here after an agreeable Passage of Five days and was very well received by the Governor, & by the People who seem pleased to see Persons from a Country at so great a distance come to compliment their Sovereign; As the Governor had no orders concerning our going forward, I was obliged to send a Courier to Morocco2 to demand that Permission, and at the same time wrote to Mr. Chiappi of that Place,3 desiring him to lay my Request before the King, that no greater Guard might be sent here, than would be sufficient to render the road safe & the Journey comfortable. To this Letter an answer was returned the Day before yesterday, that the King desired I might depend on a most gracious Reception, & Yesterday the Governor of Morocco with thirty Soldiers arrived here to conduct us to Court. His Majesty wrote to the Governor of Mogadore to furnish me with every thing I want, & to send me from hence satisfied, and has given orders at two places on the Road that we may be furnished with his own Mules. The Governor of Mogadore was so polite as to request I would return on board the Vessel to give him an Opportunity of receiving us at the Head of his Soldiers, & has since proposed making an Entertainment in the Country, but I declined both Offers on Account of the Parade and of the unavoidable expence that would have attended them. It is in vain to be troubling you at present with any Opinion about the probability of our Success, which indeed I think somewhat uncertain, there are some prejudices to be obviated and one Matter of Moment stands in the way. We have fixed on the Day after tomorrow for our departure and I shall as soon as possible have the pleasure of addressing 336 you from Morocco. In the mean time I am with the greatest esteem & Respect, / Gentlemen, / Your most obt. humble servt.

Thos Barclay

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “His Excellency John Adams Esqr. / Minister Plenipotentiary from the United / States of America at the Court of / Great-Britain, / London”; internal address: “Mr. Adams, and / Mr. Jefferson—”; endorsed: “Mr Barclay. / 10. June. Mogadore.”; and by WSS: “Mogadore June 10th / 1786. T. Barclay”; notation: “By way of Liverpool.

1.

Although addressed to JA, this letter was intended for the commissioners. JA received it on 4 July, and WSS sent a copy to Thomas Jefferson with his letter of the 5th (Jefferson, Papers , 10:92). In his next letter to JA of the 13th (Adams Papers), Barclay also indicated that he had spent about $600 because “I have been obliged to make presents here to All the Kings officers from the Governor Down to the Two Rascalls who work at the Customs House.” Barclay wrote a similar letter to Jefferson on the 12th (Jefferson, Papers , 9:629).

2.

That is, Marrakesh.

3.

Francisco Chiappe functioned as the minister of foreign affairs at the Moroccan court (same, 9:648), but see also Barclay’s 2 Oct. letter to the commissioners, and note 7, below.